New York Note: New Charter Revision Commission, Comptroller Race Update, E-Bike Council Hearing, Closing Migrant Shelters, Client Spotlight

Adams Administration to Form Second Charter Revision Committee

The Adams administration has officially announced the formation of a 14-member commission to rewrite the City Charter in 2025, continuing its focus on expanding housing opportunities. This commission aims to propose amendments addressing the city’s housing crisis and potentially revise the City Council’s role in the land use review process (ULURP). The commission may also explore changes to New York’s “sanctuary city” policies. However, the creation of this new commission could lead to tensions with the City Council, which is planning to establish its own commission next year. With both bodies working on overlapping issues, particularly regarding housing proposals and land use, potential conflicts could arise as they push for differing agendas on the future of the city’s urban planning.

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Manhattan BP Mark Levine Officially Enters NYC Comptroller Race

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has officially announced his candidacy for the 2025 race for city comptroller after raising more than $100,000 in recent months. This move sets up a highly competitive Democratic primary, with Levine facing at least two other well-known contenders in Council Member Justin Brannan and State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. Although Levine began fundraising in August by opening a campaign account, he had previously been cautious about confirming his decision to run, leaving the possibility open until now.

Council and Transportation Officials Debate Micromobility Challenges

During a heated City Council hearing on Wednesday, officials from the NYC Department of Transportation opposed a bill aimed at licensing electric bicycles and motorized scooters, arguing that it could lead to increased enforcement against delivery workers, potentially worsening their working conditions. The bill, sponsored by Councilmember Bob Holden and supported by many of his colleagues, would mandate that e-bikes and other micromobility vehicles, which are currently not regulated in this way, be licensed. Supporters of the bill argue that it’s necessary for better traffic safety, but critics, including DCWP Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, worry it could disproportionately impact delivery workers, who rely on these vehicles for their jobs.

Mayor Adams Shrinks Migrant Shelter System

New York City is scaling back its emergency shelter system for migrants as the number of new arrivals declines and President-elect Trump pledges mass deportations upon taking office. In a recent decision, Mayor Eric Adams announced the closure of a major tent shelter that housed over 1,800 migrants at a former airport site. This move reflects the city’s shifting response to the migrant crisis, as both the decrease in arrivals and political changes shape its policies moving forward. The reduction in shelter capacity comes amid ongoing debates about immigration and resources.

Client Spotlight: God’s Love We Deliver

On Monday, December 9, God’s Love We Deliver, the nonprofit behind New York City’s nutritious, medically tailored meals for people too sick to shop or cook for themselves, was proud to deliver their 40 Millionth Meal! God’s Love We Deliver volunteers and staff celebrated the monumental meal at the kitchen, accompanied by actor Liev Schreiber and God’s Love We Deliver board members Nicky Hilton and Melba Wilson, who were there to commemorate the extraordinary milestone.

The organization, which was founded during the AIDS crisis in 1985, now serves clientele with more than 200 diagnoses. This year, the organization will cook and home-deliver more than 5 million medically tailored meals to more than 17,000 seriously ill New Yorkers and their families, and its staff and volunteers continue to work tirelessly to meet the ever-growing demand for its services. Meal growth has doubled in the last five years, and God’s Love We Deliver cooked and delivered their 30 millionth meal in just 2022.

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